Monday, 30 December 2013

HONEY I'M HOOOMMEEEEE. Yes sorry for the big break but I've been so busy lately what with Christmas celebrations and visiting family (hope everyone had a lovely time as well!) but I'm back and have some lovey things to show you!Ok so Topshop had a sale and my money somehow slipped into their till so I just HAD to see what they had to offer!

So this first purchase is a gorgeous dove-grey jumper with knitted hearts stitched all over it. I think this is so soft and works really well with anything! It was reduced to £25 and I got my 10% student discount too.

I paired it with a black denim and dark blue snakeskin mini-skirt, also from Topshop and reduced to £20, and my black suede, fur-lined biker boots (a Christmas present)

A close-up of the jumper (I'm really just showing off the quality of my new camera :P)

I also popped into Miss Selfridge and found this little diamond of a dress! It's a thick cotton grey dress with a lovely muted hot pink detailing all over it. It was reduced from £37 to £17 and if that isn't a bargain then I don't know what is!

I'd pair this with Converse, ankle boots or ballet pumps as I think it works being dressed up or down - it's all about the accessories!

It also has a tiny bit of leather trim on the stitching near the shoulder

My next purchase is from Topshop and it wasn't in the sale but I'd seen it a few times and just had to get it! It's a simple black felt pork pie hat which is like a bowler hat but flatter on the top and has a folded rim. It was £25 but £22.50 with my discount. A simple piece but adds interest to any outfit!

I struggled to show this but basically yeah

These are the boots I had on with the jumper and skirt - they can be rolled down also to show the fur

And finally I went to Urban Outfitters and got this dark grey, flower embossed crop top that was reduced from £24 to £5!! I think it'll work on its own in Summer and under things in the colder months!

Here I just paired it with a plain black bodycon skirt and some tights

So that's all the fashion items i got in the sales; I'll be doing a blog post on the makeup picks I got when I've tried them out long enough that I can give a review on them!What did you get in the sales?See you soon and stay insane!

Thursday, 19 December 2013

Hey guys, MERRY CHRISTMAS! So it's 6 days until Christmas and as you can probably tell I'm super excited! I'm also excited because it's my birthday on the 21st December so I hope all your cards are in the post ;). Today I'm going to be doing a tag called the #TAGbeautytalk tag, created by the lovely Jessica over on Jessica's Beauty Garden; you should all definitely follow her blog and all her social media sites! The tag involves answering a series of questions about makeup and beauty, so let's get started!

What products have stood out to you this year?

I'd say that the RealTechniques brushes have been a real stand-out product this year; they're my first proper makeup brushes and I'm so glad I got them! They're affordable and such high quality, I'd recommend you get them!

Also the Rimmel Stay Matte powder - best budget powder. Ever.

Another stand-out product is the YSL Babydoll mascara because it's just amazing and gives me such good length and volume - a great all round mascara!

Which makeup items would you recommend for young girls or people who are just getting in to beauty?

Definitely a tinted moisturiser like Maybelline Dream Pure BB for oily skin! It gives amazing coverage for a tinted moisturiser and doesn't look cakey. Also I'd say a good mascara like Maybelline Falsies mascara and a lovely rosy blush like the Collection Blush in 02 Bashful. Rimmel also do some good eyeshadow quads which would help you get an idea of what colours work together and where they go. Rimmel are also good for their lip glosses that would give a subtle wash of colour - I love the Vinyl Gloss collection they have.

Favourite high street and high end beauty brand?

My favourite high-street brand would either be Rimmel or Maybelline as I have the most products from them. My favourite high-end brand would either be MAC or YSL - sorry I couldn't choose but they're both amazing!!

Most disappointing product you've tried?

It would have to be the Max Factor Lipfinity Lasting Lip Tint - I hate the texture, the application and the fact that it says it lasts but as soon as I took a drink of my tea it came off and made my tea pink - NOT happy! Luckily I didn't buy it, my mum did, so I didn't waste any money.

A beauty item you use everyday?

An absolute STAPLE for me is MAC Omega; it's a matte eyeshadow that I use to fill in my brows. Not many people have seen me 'eyebrowless' but I assure, you don't want to! I never used to realise how much eyebrows framed your face but now I fill mine in, I could never not!

What are you essentials for winter?

A moisturiser!! I can't stress enough how much you need to moisture your skin, especially during the winter with all the wind and cold! You should start moisturising as soon as you hit puberty as all the changes in your hormones can irritate and dry out your skin and we don't want that! I use Nivea Daily Essentials Rich Moisturising Day Cream and I love it so much!

Your favourite product for a dramatic, party look?

I would say my Sleek i-Divine palette - it has such a good range of well-pigmented colours and they give a beautifully smokey look!

What's on your Christmas wish list? (beauty wise....)

NAKED 1 PALETTE - I reeeaallllyyy hope I get this as I've been wanting it for so long! Also the Stroke of Midnight Brush Kit: Essentials as I've wanted MAC brushes for a while but they're so expensive so a little kit with them in would be so good!

So that's it from me! I tag anyone else to do this - send me a link to it through any of my social media sites (in the 'Where to find me' tab) and also hashtag #TAGbeautytalk so Jessica can see them too!

Saturday, 7 December 2013

Hi there people of the world, how is everybody? Today I went shopping in town and got very annoyed at the dawdling shoppers and screaming children, but I found serenity in Topshop (as always) and in Primark surprisingly.

I got one of the £5 dresses from Primark and I really love it! It's got 3/4 length sleeves and leaf detailing all over. It's a cotton material and goes to just above the knee. I also got these velvet platform brogues from Topshop; they were £28 (£25.20 with my student discount) and have a t-bar detailing on the top and buckle not the side. I love love love them and wanted a change from Converse or Vans - I still love those but I wear them too much! Just a quick post today, would love your feedback! Comment below your winter style essentials!See you soon and stay insane

Sunday, 1 December 2013

Hey there everyone! I began work this week so sorry for no post on Friday. Today is going to be a quick little post on how I clean my makeup brushes; I don't have actual brush cleanser but they were looking SO dirty that I had to give them a wash.

Look at me making a handy step-by-step collage

1. So in the pot I have some warm water with 6 pumps of hand wash. I haven't mixed the two yet.2. I then added some La Roche-Posay Rosaliac make-up removal gel (I love this stuff).3. Place you makeup brush into the solution and swirl away like a washing machine! This will mix the three components too :). The water will get all dirty and yucky as your makeup is removed from the brush fibers. 4. Then get some kitchen paper (it doesn't shed tissue fibers like toilet paper) and gently remove the water by swirling again. Squeeze the brush through your fingers if there is still a lot of water at the root of the fibers. 5. For fluffy brushes, hang them over the edge of a surface so they retain their shape; also do this with brushes that need reshaping. 6. And voila! Beautifully cleaned makeup brushes, ready to be dirtied up again!I hope this was useful and helps if you are a beauty obsessive on a budget!See you soon and stay insane!

Bloggerella x

Saturday, 23 November 2013

Well hello there people of the Internet, how is everyone? I was in town today and saw the '3 for 2' offer in Boots and thought why not? I needed a pick-me-up and if you're a make-up junkie, you'll understand how happy make-up can make you feel!

It looks like a summer haul but I assure you, we're still in Winter!

The first thing I picked up was this lipstick by Rimmel. It's part of their 'Moisture Renew' collection and I got it in the colour 'Coral Britannia'. I don't know if it's just me but I have a fear of getting dark lipstick all over my teeth and face so I'm always on edge when I wear a darker colour. I got this as nude lips seem to popping up all over the shop this A/W and Lily Pebbles talked about this particular lipstick a while back on her YouTube channel. It's very moisturising and goes on so well. It's nicely pigmented and I just love it. At £6.49 I think it's a steal.

I also got this Rimmel 'Stay Blushed' liquid blusher in 04 'Sunkissed Cherry'. It comes in a tube and is REALLY pigmented! I tried applying it with a brush but I didn't like it so I would recommend blending it in with your fingers and your natural warmth helps it to blend easily. If you put too much on, get your foundation brush and just blend it out a bit with the remainder of your foundation. I've got amazing tips,I know. It was £4.49 which I thought was pretty decent.

the blush and lipstick on

Last but not least is my beloved Collection 'Lasting Perfection' concealer in 01 'Fair'. They've put the price up to £4.19 but it's still such a good product for the price! My other one had gone all dried and yucky so I repurchased it. Not much else to say really, you need to try it and love it for yourself. Hope you liked this little haul; I know I do! Comment below which products you love also or want to try now - I'd love to hear!See you soon and stay insane!

Bloggerella x

This award is used by bloggers who have 200 follows or less promote each other in order to make more friends in the blogging community and attract more attention to their blog! Each nominee must first list 11 random facts about their self, then answer the 11 questions provided by the person who nominated them. Lastly, choose 11 bloggers who have 200 followers or less on bloglovin and ask them your own 11 questions!

Friday, 15 November 2013

Hey guys, hope you're all ok! News flash...I got ANOTHER job! It's at HMV, a DVD, CD and games shop. The only fly in the ointment is that I'll be crazy busy right up until Christmas so it's going to affect my blogging schedule :(. I might not be able to upload every Friday so it'll just have to be whenever I can - I'm really sorry about this but it's not permanent! Now I've got that bit of admin out of the way, down to the blog! Every girl NEEDS an LBD or little black dress. it's your saviour for a last-minute party (because I get invited to those aaalll the time...yeah right!), they're a timeless classic that never goes out of fashion and you can keep them for years!

My birthday is next month and my Mum got me this black dress from McArthurGlen, which is a designer outlet with CRAZY discounts near York. The dress is from French Connection and was reduced from £160 to £54!! It's made from a stretchy body-con material and has little cut out details on the shoulders. There's a zip all the way down the back of the dress as well.

If you follow me on Instagram (if not, link is on the side) you would have seen me post this picture showing the dress on. I think it's a really flattering shape and isn't so short that it borders on being trashy. LBDs are always classy and sophisticated so always go just above the knee for a sexy but not slutty look!I would wear this any time of the year but as it will be winter when I wear it, I would suggest styling it with 60 denier opaque tights and either really colourful shoes or bag. Although knowing me I'll go all back and have some sparkly jewellery to jazz it up! The selection of accessories below are all from Topshop (my favourite shop of all time) unless stated otherwise.

Friday, 8 November 2013

Hi guys, how's everyone doing? I'm a bit ill and sniffly right now but on the plus side...I GOT A JOB. It's a weekend job at Primark and I'm so pleased to finally be given a chance to get some paid experience! Today's review is a slightly different one as it's actually a male skincare product. My Dad purchased this (it must have been on offer), I spyed it and couldn't resist giving it a try.

It costs £5.99 and is available in lots of high-street stores. It contains black charcoal which is renowned for its skin purifying qualities, and menthol which is good for cleansing the skin and protecting against the appearance of spots and blackheads.

It comes out as a gel but when applied onto your face, it turns into a white foam which feels really good on the skin! You get that really squeaky clean feeling and after using it for a week, I've noticed a reduction in the pimples on my forehead that no other face scrubs or washes could remove or reduce. It is a men's skincare product so if you have sensitive skin, please be careful as it may be too harsh for you. My skin is quite tough (like me :P) so I had no problems with breakouts or dryness. Just make sure to moisture as you would normally otherwise you'll feel like your skin has turned to plastic!What men's skincare products (if any) have you tried and loved?See you soon and stay insane!

Saturday, 2 November 2013

HEY GUYS IT'S REALLY LATE AND I'M A BIT HYPER. I've got my second blast of energy so I thought I'd put up a blog post :) I'm not doing an October favourites this month as they would be pretty much the same and that would be boring!

This blog post is going to be a first impressions on the Sleek 'i-Divine' Eye Shadow Palette in 'Au Naturael'. I've been a bit late to jump on the Sleek bandwagon but I thought it would be a substitute until I (hopefully) get my Urban Decay Naked 1 palette!

It has 12 colours and costs £7.99 at Superdrug. There are a range of different palettes but I wanted this one as I felt it was the most wearable. It's very thin and has a HUGE mirror so prefect for taking on your travels!

After doing swatches of the colours, my favourites so far are Taupe (6th one along on the top) and Conker (1st one on the bottom row). They're both shimmery colours but there are matte colours amongst them. I wasn't overly impressed with the pigmentation of the swatches of the first 5 colours but I have yet to try them out with brushes and on the eye.

Monday, 28 October 2013

Hi guys, eventually I've found some time (I had to wake up early) to write my Christmas Lust List! It's precisely 57 days until Christmas Day, so a prefect time to begin thinking about what presents you'd like.

1. M.A.C Duo-fibre Tapered Blending Brush (286)I have heard SO many good things about the M.A.C brushes and as they're quite pricey - this one is £22.50! - I decided it would be better off as a Christmas present. I thought this brush would be good for in the crease, comment below if I'm wrong!2. M.A.C Blending Brush (217)A girl can never have too many blending brushes and considering I don't have one at all (I use an eyeshadow brush *tut*tut*) I think I'm allowed :P. This brush is slightly cheaper at £18.3. M.A.C Eye Shader Brush (239)Is it bad that I covet a brush? Yes I think it is but hey ho! The shader brush, £20, is good for packing on colour or adding a subtle dash of colour. 4. Topshop 'Easy Come Easy Go' Slogan Tee I just think this top is so cute and could be dressed down with some highwaisted jeans and converse, or dressed up with heels and a leather skirt. It costs £18 and there is a cropped version which is £16.5. Miss Selfridge 'Madame' TeeI love this top! Again I think it could be dressed up or down, and is ideal for a casual weekend or a more informal night out. The lettering is velvet (oooo velvet) and at £18, it's a really good buy!6. M.A.C Studio Sculpt SPF 15 FoundationI've been trying out various M.A.C foundations and I've been toying with whether to get the Studio Sculpt one or number 8 in my lust list. Some advice would be much appreciated; I don't like foundation that is too thick but I like medium coverage, any ideas? COMMENT BELOW! This foundation is £25.7. Topshop Joni Super-highwaisted Grey JeansERMAGEURSCH I've been wanting these jeans for song long and they're not even that expensive (£36) but I always spend my money as soon as I get it so I'm STILL lusting after these. They're so soft and great for college or on a weekend. I'm going to get them in grey as I have 'denim' coloured jeans already. 8. M.A.C Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation This foundation is a new one from their Pro Longwear collection and I really recommend you check the whole collection out! This foundation provides sheer to medium coverage and is lightweight so not cakey at all. It costs £25 also.9. Urban Decay 'Naked 1' Palette This has been on my wishlist for so long and eventually it's that time of year when I can beg family members to buy it! It boasts great pigmentation, a wide rang of colours, and a urban Decay shadow brush. It costs £37 but I feel I'd get so much use out of it. 10. Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture BoosterThis moisture-boosting serum has heard so many great reviews, I just had to try it. It's supposed to be put on before your day cream and help it sink into your skin better. It costs £24.99 and is available at most drugstores. So that's my top ten Christmas Lust list! Again I apologise for the lateness two weeks in a row but hopefully I'll be back on track by next week. What are some products you want for Christmas?See you soon and stay insane!

Sunday, 20 October 2013

Hey guys! I'm really sorry for not posting on Friday but there were workmen in the house so I couldn't take pictures of the products and they were being very noisy! Anyway I hope it isn't too much of an inconvenience to do it today :).This week I'm reviewing the Bourjois 'Rouge Edition' lipstick in shade 16. It's a shame it doesn't have a name but if that's the only thing that's wrong with it then they're doing well.

It's a beautiful autumnal red with brown undertones that suit dark haired people as well as people with lighter hair. I think people with very blond hair should go for a true red as it stands out a lot but I would say to at least try a deeper colour and see what it looks like!I love the versatility of this product in that you can dab it on for more of a lip stain, but then you can also apply it fully for a stunning deep colour that is perfect for those colder months. TOP TIP: Add some Vaseline or Carmex under the lipstick and over when you are dabbing it on so it doesn't look patchy.

Dabbed on as a lip stain

Applied fully

It is £7.99 and comes in a really wide range of colours (http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Rouge-Edition-Lipstick_1290744/). I love the texture of the lipstick; it doesn't cling to dry patches on your lips and has a beautiful finish that isn't too shiny but isn't matte either. What are your favourite A/W lipstick shades?See you soon and stay insane!

Friday, 11 October 2013

Hi guys, I hope you're all doing well this week :). I didn't really know what to talk about today so I thought a ramble about life would be nice! Recently I've been reaaallyyy happy. I think it's a combination of moving to college, starting this blog and just becoming myself! I didn't realise how constrained you are at school, trying desperately to 'fit in' (whatever that means) and measuring yourself against others.I know people say that at college you can 'be whoever you want to be', and when I first went I didn't think I'd change at all but it's scary how different I am from even the me from six months ago! I think I needed change more than I thought I did, and I'm so glad that I made the leap to leave the little bubble that is school life. A couple of people are probably sick of me advertising my blog (I know who you are - I have my sources :P) and while I was at school that may have bothered me. When I began this blog I wasn't thinking "Oh what if people make fun of me?" or "What if nobody likes it?", I wanted to do it for ME (and all you lovely followers and readers out there) and for MY happiness. It's strange how writing a post about what I've bought would make me so happy, but it really has and I can't wait to see how it grows. I've got no plans of letting up so be prepared to come along for the ride.See you soon and stay insane!

Bloggerella x

Friday, 4 October 2013

Hey guys, bit late but pinch, punch, first of the month and all that! It's the beginning of October and you know what that means... SEPTEMBER FAVOURITES.

Beauty Favourites

Hask Argan Oil

This stuff is so good! It's a hair oil that you can either run though your hair when it's wet as a bit of a conditioner, or on dry hair to calm down some wayward locks. The important thing with this product is DO NOT put it anywhere near your roots or it'll be grease central (not a good look). I love it because it conditions my curly hair and has improved the smoothness of my hair so much, especially while I was on holiday this summer. It's £2.50 and I love it. Say no more.

Nivea 'Express Hydration' Hand Lotion

I have such dry hands and I really struggle to find a thick hand lotion that absorbs quickly and doesn't leave my hands feeling slippery so when I found this I was incredibly happy! With its natural sea minerals (?) and 'Hydra iQ' (??), the Nivea hand lotion ticked all the boxes. It absorbs really fast, smells nice and doesn't leave my hands feeling greasy. It's £3.39 on the Nivea website but I picked it up in Sainsbury's for quite a bit cheaper than that.

Zara 'Wild Rose' Eau De Toilette

I'd seen Fleur from FleurDeForce (http://www.youtube.com/user/FleurDeForce) talk about these roll-on perfumes quite a while back and while I was browsing I saw them and it was only £3.99 so I picked one up to try. It's got a typical floral scent that compliments most people's natural smell and it's perfect for chucking in your handbag as it's small and a roll-on. There was another scent but there was none left so if you want to try out the other one(s) and tell me what you think that would be great!

Garnier '5 second Perfect Blur' Primer

I have to say this product has been a grower. At first I hated how smooth it made my skin and I felt it made my make-up slide off but now, my skin feels strange if I don't have it on. It 'blurs' out any imperfections such as dark spots or pores and provides a good base for your foundation. It costs £12.99, distinctly cheaper than the Smashbox 'Photo Finish' primer that almost every beauty blogger has raved about but I haven't tried myself. I really like it as a cheaper alternative.

MAC eyeshadows in 'Wedge' and 'Omega'

I've had them in my collection for precisely 3 days and already I love them. I use Wedge as a crease colour (comment if you'd like a tutorial) and I use Omega as a brow colour. They're highly pigmented and blend really well. Although Omega looks too light in the pan for my eyebrows, I'm glad I got it instead of Charcoal Brown because Omega goes on a lot darker than you think.

Wedge

Omega

Non-beauty Favourites

Drake 'Nothing Was The Same'

It's Drake's new album and it's amazing ok? I know a lot of people don't like his music *cough*Emma*cough*Kara*cough*Callie* but when I'm in the mood for something a bit chill or angsty, he's the man.

Justin Timberlake 'The 20-20 Experience'

I have listened to this album on repeat for 2 months now and I still don't hate it yet - that is saying something! People moan that the songs are weird and too long but I say to you - have you actually listened to it? Like LISTENED? Probably not so don't comment until you've actually listened to it. Wow that got a bit intense and ranty but I'm very passionate about music.

I hope you enjoyed this blog; comment below what your favourites of September are and whether I've convinced you to try any of these things!

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

'A blog on a Wednesday Hannah?' I hear you ask but I had to squeeze this in before it gets lost in the ether of time and space. I got tagged by Laura from 'Laura's Rants and Reviews' (http://laurasrantsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/) to do a blog on some of the beauty things I'm a bit rubbish at, so here goes!1) Saving up to buy expensive make-up I can't save money, it's an actual problem. I just recently bought my first MAC eyeshadow with my very own money (review coming soon) and it made me realise that if I didn't spend money on so much crap that I don't need then I could afford to get the more luxury brands that I'd only dreamed of before!2) Applying gel eyeliner I've been trying to get better at applying gel eyeliner but it's still looking a bit dodgey! It is my mission to be able to do it by Christmas so HOLD ME TO THAT!3) Moisturising If you tell me that you moisture your body every single day I will find it very difficult to believe you! I started to do it more regularly when I had to Vaseline 'Spray and Go' but when it ran out I just never repurchased it so I'm back to my bad habits *tuts like an old lady*. 4) Painting my nails I love having my nails painted but I can never be bothered to maintain it so when it gets chipped I don't bother to redo it. I've been trying the Bourjois '1 second' gel nail polishes and they're ok but don't last as long as you'd expect them to.

Bloggerella x

Friday, 27 September 2013

Hi guys! So last Saturday I went shopping in town and bought a few things that I thought you'd like to see! They weren't very expensive so if you need a little pick me up then you might want to go and buy some of these products :)

I had a gift card for River Island (due to kimono issues) for £25 and I needed some new jewellery pieces for Autumn/Winter so I BOUGHT STUFF OK? I shouldn't have to justify myself :P.

I absolutely love this necklace! It's a gold Egyptian style statement necklace and I've been wearing it a lot recently. It also comes in a gun metal grey/silver so if you don't like it in gold then you can buy it in the other colour. At £6 it was such a bargain and I was really impressed with the quality of River Island's jewellery. I'd never thought to try it before but I'd definitely recommend it!

I'd always wanted to try midi rings but I hadn't found any that were good value and good quality. The Primark ones were actually quite painful for me and felt really awkward to wear. But then i found these and at £2 a pop, I was very impressed!

The top midi rings are separate bands with a downward (or upward) arrow in the middle; these are my favourite as they slide on easily and STAY THERE as I have a worry with midi rings that they'll fall off butI haven't lost any so far (fingers crossed haha). The bottom midi ring is a golden branch and I think it is soo cute! There was a rough bit of metal but I just filed it down with a nail file and it's no longer uncomfortable.

ERMAGEURSCH THE CUTENESS OF THESE SOCKS. If you follow me on Instagram (@hanfran96) you'll have seen the cat socks already but I had to share them again! They were £2 and cute and made of smoothy smooth materials and I couldn't leave them! The frilly socks were £1.50 each and a slightly cheaper alternative to the Topshop version;there were a range of colours and patterns but these were my favourites.

These cute triangle studs were £2 and I really like their versatility; I wear them with the Egyptian statement necklace or with my pendant necklaces. A really great buy.

I only got one beauty product and it's this Bourjois 'Little Round Pot' eyeshadow in shade '08'. It's a beautiful base colour and I also use to highlight the inner corner of my eye. It goes with all of my other eyeshadows and is really pigmented. It retails at £6.99 but I picked it up at £2.99 from the Making Faces barrel in town.

Can you comment below if you're from a different part of the UK and tell me if you also have a Making Faces stand in your shopping centre?